Awakenings
by El loopy
Summary: [The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman] There are different kinds of awakenings. Irene gets an enjoyable one for a change. One with coffee and books. Set post-'The Burning Page'. Inspired by an observation Irene makes in 'The Lost Plot.' Kai x Irene. Oneshot.


Awakenings

She liked these kind of wake ups. A slow easing into consciousness, arms and legs stretching out under the covers, finding patches of refreshing coolness. Head cushioned by a soft pillow. She had slept long and deep. It had felt good, after the running and the screaming and the acrid black smoke. The heat in the lick of flame. The stinging smell of hundreds of burning books…

Irene pushed the thoughts away before they could ruin her moment. There would be plenty of awakenings later for her to dwell on her transgressions, particularly when the nightmares started again, as she was sure they would.

Irene stretched again, luxuriating in the feel of the sheets. It was good to be back in her London, to be home. She allowed her mind to lazily think about what jobs needed to be done. Nothing urgent, came the response. She was still supposed to be 'convalescing' after her ordeal, which meant writing reports and attending meetings about what she may have done wrong. They had wanted her to stay at the Library but after sleepless nights and nightmares she'd put her metaphorical foot down and returned home yesterday. Vale had been sent back immediately and Kai had gone with him; reluctantly and only at Irene's urging.

' _I know you want to stay with me, but nothing can happen to me here. Vale may need your help.'_

She had returned home and instantly slept. She suspected Kai's proximity had helped – not that she would admit it to him. A faint knock on the door drew her attention and she began to sit up. Before she could open her mouth to answer, the door opened and in walked the Dragon himself.

"I didn't say you could come in!" she yelped, wondering how awful she looked.

Kai gave her an amused smile. "I wasn't sure you were awake. Don't worry, you look fine," he said with irritating accuracy.

Irene glared. "That wasn't…"

"Don't forget, I've seen you much worse conditions than having just slept. Just as you've seen me."

 _Him. Chained up. Weak. Starved. Bloodied._

 _Her. Soot-stained. Singed. Hands cut to ribbons. Chaos infested._

"Point taken," she conceded, her eyes falling to the steaming mug in his hand.

"Is that…?"

"Coffee, yes." He pretended to hand it over and then pulled it back. "Maybe I should make you come and get it."

Irene stayed in bed. "Did you come in here with coffee just to taunt me with it?"

"No," Kai sat down on the edge of the bed and she felt her stomach flip at the proximity. "I came here with coffee because you faced Alberich and won, again. That deserves a coffee."

He handed it over and their fingers brushed. She was sure he was doing this deliberately.

"You saved Vale too. From the Chaos contamination."

Oh yes, that. Well, that had been her fault to start with and she hadn't been sure it would work… She almost said it but the look in Kai's eyes stilled her words. The volume of relief there instead of anxiety. He had been worried about his friend and she had saved him. It didn't matter to him how.

"I think it deserves more than a coffee," she replied teasingly instead and instantly saw her error in the dark flash in his eyes, suddenly so much deeper, so much more intense.

"I didn't…" she started, but he cut her off.

"I know." There was a definite tone of frustration there. "I happen to agree. The coffee and the sleep were only part of it." He leant close by her and she thought for a moment that he was going to kiss her anyway. She felt her heart rate speed up but, with his eyes never leaving hers, he reached over the edge of the bed and tapped something out of sight. There was a wryness in his expression as they sat so close, him centimetres from her face, an exasperation and smugness in one. He knew what she was thinking, knew that she wanted it, wanted him, but wouldn't say so. Until she did he would not make a move.

The noise he'd made finally snapped into place through the fog he made of her brain. Instantly her eyes darted away, with the rest of her, to the edge of the bed. A finger tapping a pile of books was a very distinctive sound. She grinned in delight and rapidly handed the coffee back to him, so she could pick up a book.

"Yeah, you and me both," she thought she heard him mutter to the coffee. She ignored the comment and turned the book over in her hands to skim the back eagerly. It was one she'd wanted to read for a while.

"You have the day," he told her, and it took her a while to let his meaning filter through. "No appointments. Nothing urgent. Catch up on your reading."

She looked at him stunned.

"I think this is the best present I've ever had," she managed finally.

"I thought you might like it," Kai responded as he leaned over to put her coffee down within her reach. This time she saw the stiffness of his movements and felt her stomach churn with guilt.

"How is your side?"

He faltered only in the twitch of his shoulders, but it was enough. He'd been trying to hide it.

"Healing fast." He placed the coffee down and sat back up.

"Let me see."

She moved forward and when he didn't stop her she lifted the edge of his shirt. There were no more bandages over the wound, Dragons healed fast, but the gouges had fresh scabs over them. They were definitely going to scar.

"Irene…" it came out a little hoarse with a warning and she realised she had been running her fingers over his skin by the wound. She lifted her eyes to his and felt her face flush at the way he was looking at her.

"Sorry." She let his shirt drop. It had felt so natural to touch him. "You and Vale…I couldn't have done it without you. You deserve…" she gestured to the coffee and books, "something like this too."

Well, more actually, much more, but Librarians took what they could get. Alone time to read a book was worth more than jewels.

"The only thing I want is to join you," he murmured with a dragonic timbre, musical and seductive.

She took a steadying breath.

"Not much reading would get done," tumbled out her mouth without thought. The look on his face was sending waves of glowing warmth through her and then he smiled, slow and affectionately.

"No, I guess not." He got to his feet, "and that wouldn't be the point."

The distance felt at once a disappointment and a relief.

"What are your plans going to be for the day?" she asked, trying to be casual. It didn't fool him for a second. She must be more tired than she thought.

"I'm staying right here to keep an eye on you."

She would normally rile against his possessiveness or protectiveness or whatever it was, but she was too tired to pick it apart. Right now, having him close by was exactly what she wanted.

"All right," she picked up the book and the coffee, settling back to read, but her eyes strayed back to him.

They looked at each other, and in that look expressed everything they'd been through. Their trust in each other. That they understood.

Kai inclined his head and then walked out the door, closing it softly behind him, leaving Irene with her book.


End file.
